


Down under

by horseheadnebula



Category: LOTR RPS
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-23
Updated: 2011-04-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 13:25:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horseheadnebula/pseuds/horseheadnebula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-Slash. Karl is struggling with the events of Out Of The Blue, Viggo's there to help.<br/>If you haven't seen the movie, do. It's worth it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Down under

The phone rang in the middle of a quiet Idaho night. The sound resonated in the old ranch house, shockingly loud. It woke Viggo from an uneasy dream, something of guns and blood and a fear that went bone deep. He was glad to be woken, but when he recognized that it was not even close to morning, an even more substantial fear gripped him. He scrambled through the blankets and got hold of his cellphone, pushed the answering button with shaky fingers.

“'lo.”  
“It's done. It's...god, Viggo...”

Karl. Upset, sounding like he'd cried, maybe was still crying. Viggo had an inkling why, had read the script, seen the difficulties, offered to come down for support. Karl had refused, too proud, too hardheaded to admit that he might need a person outside the movie to lend an ear, a shoulder, when the reality of the role got too much to handle.

But that was all in the past now. This was important, the here and now, and Viggo was suddenly wide awake. He knew from his own experience how hard you could crash after letting go of a taxing role, remembered crying in Christine's lap after The Indian Runner had wrapped, shaking with Frank's guilt and pain and loneliness. All that flashed through his mind in the seconds it took him to decide what to answer. There was only one thing, really.

“I'm here, Karl. I know.” He heard Karl inhale deeply and added:  
“That's good, lille bro, deep breaths, that's it. Easy...” His calm voice seemed to soothe the younger man. He made a sniffling sound before he said haltingly:

“It's been so hard, Vig. Still is. I can't..it's so real. I can't shake him off. The children, Vig...”He broke off on a sob, and Viggo's heart clenched painfully. He wished with all his might that there wasn't an ocean between them, that he could hold his friend, ground him, help him to regain his sense of self. But it was not to be. His words would have to do.

“It's over, now you can let go. What do you need for that? Are you going home?”  
The younger man was quiet for a long while, and Viggo only heard his labored breathing. He wanted to give him time, but Karl's state of mind worried him, so he prodded:

“Karl? Tell me, kære, can you go home? Can Nat deal with this?”  
Another silence, then:

“No. I tried...she don't...” He laughed bitterly, an ugly, desperate sound. “Said I'm hysteric, that she thinks I'm splitting..I swear to you, I'm not! Viggo, I swear... I even went to see a shrink...” His voice trailed off, and Viggo heard the hurt and betrayal underneath the desperation. The older man felt his own rage build. How dared that woman to add to Karl's distress, to further his insecurities? But he couldn't dwell on that now, his sensibilities were unimportant. Only Karl mattered.

“Of course you're not. You wouldn't think something's wrong if you were. I was there once, had the same fears. Let me help you, min modig hertje. What do you need?”

“I wanna run. Wanna get out of here, not hear that accent, not think...Maybe I should go on a bender, forget everything...”

Viggo had been present for one of those and it hadn't been pretty. The Kiwi wasn't a mean drunk, but he lost his easy going demeanor completely, could tip into each direction from angry to maudlin, depending on his companions. To be this susceptible was the last thing he needed, of that Viggo was sure. He didn't think about his next sentences, just let them flow from his soul.

“Run to me, then. I'm in Idaho, you'd have all the space you need. And if you wanna talk, we'll talk, and if you wanna be alone, you won't see me, except maybe in passing.”

It felt so right to make the offer, but Viggo hadn't realized how important the answer was to him until he heard the soft drawl again.

“You really mean it? I didn't dare...” Karl swallowed audibly. “Yes, Viggo. I'd love to.”

The American felt the dread that had followed him from his dream finally leave him. He would make sure Karl had everything he needed. The man had kept him sane at Helm's Deep, had always provided a distraction when needed, a cup of hot coffee, a blanket when Viggo was cold. They had never talked about it, never acknowledged how unusual it was that the younger man spent his free time on a set he wasn't working on.

Only years later had Karl mentioned in an interview how much he'd admired Viggo's acting, that he had just wanted to be close to him and learn. Viggo had been humbled by that and glad that he'd not known about it back then. When they went to Japan together, there had been an easy comradeship, but underneath had been more, a feeling Viggo hadn't dared to explore.

Now he did. While they talked about the logistics of Karl's visit, a part of Viggo's mind remembered, evaluated and rejoiced in a closeness once shared. The younger man sounded a little more hopeful already and when the conversation drew to a close he said:

“My heart doesn't feel very brave right now, mein Lieber. But I think you could teach it to be again.”

Viggo flinched initially, he'd forgotten that Karl spoke enough German to make the deduction from Danish. But then he smiled, broadly, and Karl could hear it in his voice.

“I'd be glad to, kære. So very glad.”

**Author's Note:**

> lille bro- little brother  
> kaere- love,dearest  
> min modig hertje- my brave heart  
> mein Lieber- my dear


End file.
